ESI JDE Menu Gadget's importance comes from the fact that most JDE users are not happy to migrate from the old good Fat Client to the new WEB interface. And unhappy users is not a very nice issue to have to deal with. There's typically also an issue of re-training the users of every single detail in such migration scenarios, including how to start a session, which server and which port to connect to, how to navigate to the necessary task through the menu, etc. And the last, but not least, the issue of lost productivity, the time unproductively spent on doing exactly that: recalling how to log in, logging in, navigating through the menus, etc.

ESI JDE Menu Gadget is a perfect solution for such unhappy WEB users - a small set of the most frequently used shortcuts to the JDE WEB programs, always available on your desktop in a Windows(R) Vista(R) SideBar Gadget. This is the first of a series of the new-generation WEB-enabled tools we are planning to release. Here, on the right-hand side of this page, is a screenshot of how it will appear in the SideBar, alongside with any other running Gadgets (or, if you prefer, Widgets):

Some of the features and benefits:

• The login credentials can be pre-configured and saved, so that clicking on a shortcut will immediately open the necessary program without any additional input from the user;
• The shortcut can include form interconnect values, so that the program automatically performs the initial "Find" on the first page upon startup, presenting the user with the grid, already populated with the necessary data;
• When the software is installed and pre-configured for each user by the administrators, the users will be limited to these shortcuts, will have no knowledge of the login credentials used to connect to JDE and will have no JDE Menu bar or the IE Address Bar to wander around the system, hence it can not only automate the entire process, but can also make your system substantially more secure;
• The target program opens in its own window, maximized to "Full Screen View" and without the left-side JDE Menu bar, giving the user maximum workspace available;
• The same functionality is also available as a standalone executable application that runs minimized into a TaskBar icon, with the shortcut options available through a pop-up menu (to compare, it's much like our OWDLC operates in minimized state - see the screenshot to the right). This option will be ideal for the users of Windows 2000 and XP, or Vista users who do not use SideBar or do not wish to use this tool as a Gadget. This standalone executable is downloadable for Trial in a separate Setup. Functionally, there's no difference between the ActiveX and the executable, only the presentation is different.

Some good examples of such useful shortcuts may be "Server Jobs" program, or "Customer Service Inquiry" form in P4210, etc. - instant access to the most used programs with a single click, with pre-populated grid, will be a huge time-saver for everyone.

Simple installation, intuitive configuration, all automatable, flexible and easy, will make the deployment of this solution very smooth.

The User's Guide can be downloaded here.

Please note that although this solution is designed and marketed for Windows(R) Vista(R), it is not limited to it: the functionality of this solution is delivered in an ActiveX control and so can be used on any WEB page, for example on your corporate intranet page. Here's a sample page, that illustrates this: sample page. Note: IE will prompt for installation only if it's allowed to in your Internet Properties - this control is not signed. You will also need to have the Windows rights to register it, plus it will require the additional Configurator.exe tool, included in the downloadable Trial Version, to configure this ActiveX control - without this configuration the control will appear empty. The first time this control is used, it will start the 30-day trial period countdown, so if you intend to evaluate this solution, you should not open this page until ready to start this evaluation. A short Flash presentation of ESI JDE Menu ActiveX control, using the sample page listed above, can be found here.

A 30-day Trial Version is available for download for your evaluation. It has limitations and restrictions as follows: it requires network access from computers in a corporate domain, or The Internet access from standalone computers, it does not have the additional deployment tools included with the full package, the Setup can be installed under Windows(R) Vista(R) operating system only, the target computer cannot be virtualized, the installation must be performed by an administrator, when clicking on a shortcut it will visit our site first and stay there for 10 seconds after which it will execute the shortcut, plus it's limited to 30 days. IMPORTANT: to enable automatic login, you will need one additional setting in the INI file on your JAS Server and another one in the httpd.conf file - please, contact us for instructions.

Site pricing is available upon request. Please, provide your site and usage details.

Please note that this solution requires JDE service pack level to be at least TR8.96.E1 on the JAS Server and so pre-B9 releases of JDE cannot be supported.

Enhancements and customizations may be available upon request, i.e.: the maximum number of shortcuts can be increased in custom builds as necessary, your company logotype can be incorporated into the gadget's window, etc.